226 Anatomie. — Morphologie etc. 



Groom, P., A note on the vegetative anatomy of Phero- 

 sphaera Fitsgeraldi, F. v. M. (Ann. Bot. XXX. p. 311—314. 1 text- 

 fig. 1916.) 



Pherosphaea Fitsgeraldi is a dense prostrate little shrub, be- 

 longing to a genus closely related to Dacrydiuni. The material used 

 in the present investigation came from the Lower Falls, Zeura, 

 New South Wales, where it grew in such a Situation as to 

 "catch the drips from the falls." The remarkable nature of the ha- 

 bitat, recalling that of certain Hymenophyllaceae in iropical forests, 

 caused the author to examine the structure of the wood and leaves, 

 in the hope of discovering a conifer showing a hygrophytic ana- 

 tomy. The result, however, was to show that this species recalls 

 familiär European shrubs and trees growing in peat-bogs, at alpine 

 altitudes, or in arctic regions, both as regards the construction of 

 its leaves, including the xerophytic epidermis and hypoderma asso- 

 ciated with very loose niesophyll, and as regards the narrowness 

 of the annual rings. The author points out that the cause of these 

 anatomical features of Pherosphaera Fitsgeraldi, which can grow in 

 a soaking habitat, demands local investigation. 



Agnes Arber (Cambridge). 



Jefferies, T. A., The vegetative anatomy of Molinia caerulea, 

 the Purple Heath Grass. (New Phytologist. XV. 3, 4. March 

 and April 1916.) 



The author points out that the peculiar features in the anatomy 

 of this grass are {a) the unusual distribution of root hairs, [h) the 

 prominent endodermis of the cord roots, (c) the structure of the 

 basal internodes and the nature of the food reserves they contain, 

 {d) the absciss layers for the protection of the more lasting mem- 

 bers, and {e) the vascular bundles of the leaves with their thick 

 walls, double sheaths and stereome girders. He thinks that attention 

 should be called to the wealths of mechanical strengthening tissue 

 in all parts of the plant, the tendency to störe up food reserves 

 and the powers of adaption which seem to be latent in any part 

 of the organism. Finally the biological value of these structures is 

 discussed and the weaknesses which appear when studied in rela- 

 tion to its habitat on the Pennines. E. M. Cotton. 



Doyle, J., On the 'proliferous' form ofthe scape of Plan- 

 tago lanceolata. (Ann. Bot. XXX. p. 353 — 355. 2 text-figs. 1916.) 



The author describes two specimens of the 'proliferous' form 

 of Plantago lanceolata. In each case a leaf rosette was borne on the 

 scape, and in one case two small secondary flower scapes occurred, 

 The author interprets these rosettes as due to the adventitious 

 development of a vegetative bud in place of a flower bud in the 

 spike. It is noted that this is a different phenomenon from that seen 

 in P. media var. bracteata in which the bracts subtending the flo- 

 wers of the spike grow vegetatively. Differences in anatomy were 

 observed between normal and abnormal scapes; in the former, iso- 

 lated Strands of phloem occur as well as the vascular bundles, 

 while in the latter these phloem Strands are replaced by small 

 complete vascular bundles. The mechanical tissue was also more 

 highly developed in the abnormal scape. These modifications the 



